Pumping unit for reciprocating type pump



May 14, 1957 w. H. HUNTER PUMPING UNIT FOR RECIPROCATING TYPE PUMP FiledSept. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY PUMPING UNIT FORRECIPROCATING TYPE PUMP William H. Hunter, Aurora, Mo., asslgnor, bymesne ussignments, to B. K. Sweeney Manufacturing Company, Inc., Denver,Colo.

Application September 3, 1954, Serial No. 454,078

1 (Ilaim. (Cl. 103-179) This invention relates to a novel pumping unitfor a reciprocating type pump and which is adapted for operation in apump working barrel.

The present invention constitutes an improvement on my prior U. S.Letters Patents Nos. 2,240,780 and 2,475,705, issued May 6, 1941, andJuly 12, 1949, respectively, and entitled Flat Groove Valve Body andPacking Means Therefor and Expansible Ring and Groove T herefor,respectively.

More particularly, it is a primary object of the present invention toprovide a reciprocating type pumping unit composed of a minimum numberof parts and which is so constructed that the parts will be subjected toa minimum amount of wear.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit capable of beingapplied to or removed from a working barrel while fully assembled andwhich is capable of being readily dismantled for replacement of parts,when required.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pumping unit utilizingfrictional contact between certain of the parts thereof with one anotherand with the working barrel to effect a most efiicient operation of thepump and by means of which the necessity of providing a pumping unitwith expansible type sealing means is obviated.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the workingbarrel of a pump showing the pumping unit in side elevation disposedtherein;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially along a plane as indicated by the line 22 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a similar view taken substantially along a plane asindicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are cross sectional views, taken substantially alongplanes as indicated by the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along a plane asindicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view similar to aportion of Figures 2 or 3 and illustrating a different position of partsof the pumping unit from the position of the parts as shown in Figures 2and 3, and

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the pump plunger shown removed from theremainder of the pumping unit and detached from the sucker rod.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the pumping unit in itsentirety and comprising the invention is designated generally it) and isillustrated in Figures 1 to S in an operative position in a workingbarrel 11. Said working barrel 11, beneath the pumping unit 10, isprovided with a fixed valve seat 12, as best seen in Figure 3, having acage 13 secured thereon and disposed thereabove for reted States PatentC Patented May l4, res? stricting movement of a ball valve 14 whichnormally assumes a closed seated position on the seat 12 by gravity.

The pumping unit 10 includes a plunger, designated generally 15, asubstantial part of which is formed by a rod 16 of circular crosssection having an externally threaded lower end 17 the maximum diameterof which is no greater than the diameter of the remainder of said rod16, as seen in Figure 3. The plunger 15 includes a collar 18 formedintegral with and disposed around the upper end of the rod 16 and whichis of substantially larger diameter than said rod. The plunger 15 alsoincludes an integral portion 19 which extends upwardly from the collar18 and which is of smaller diameter than said collar. The plunger part19 is provided with flat surfaces forming wrench lands 20. The upper endof the plunger 15 is formed by a threaded stem 21 which extends upwardlyfrom the upper end of the plunger part 19 and which is of smallerdiameter than said part 19. The stem 21 is threaded into a downwardlyopening internally threaded socket 22 formed on the lower end of asucker rod or the like 23 and which extends downwardly into the workingbarrel 11 for supporting the pumping unit 19 therebeneath and above thecage 13 of the standing valve 12, 14.

The pumping unit 10 includes a plurality of corresponding sleeves, eachdesignated generally 24, and each including an elongated sleeve portion25 having an enlargement at the upper end thereof forming a head 26which is radial: ly enlarged relatively to the sleeve portion 25. Eachsleeve 24 has a bore 27 of uniform diameter from endto-end thereofextending longitudinally therethrough and accordingly extending throughthe sleeve portion 25 and the head 2e, as seen in Figures 2 and 3. Thus,the head 26 is annular in form and has a fiat upper surface 23 which isdisposed in a plane at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of thesleeve 24. The head 26 has an annular downwardly and inwardly inclinedand beveled underside 29 which combines with the flat top surface 28 toform a relatively narrow annular peripheral surface 30. As seen inFigures 2 to 5, the sleeve portion 25 is provided with a plurality oflongitudinally and circumferentially spaced integral outwardly extendingprojections 31 having convexly rounded outer ends 32 which are disposedconcentric to the axis of the sleeve 24. Each sleeve portion 25 ispreferably provided with a group of projections 31 adjacent each endthereof, each of which group preferably comprises four projections whichare equally spaced circumferentially around the sleeve portion 25.

The pumping unit 10 also includes a plurality of valves, each designatedgenerally 33, and each comprising an elongated cylinder the wall whichis of substantial thickness, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, andwhich wall has a fiat annular lower end 34 which is disposed at a rightangle to the axis of the cylindrical valve. The cylinder forming thevalve 33 has a downwardly or inwardly inclined or beveled upper end ortop surface 35 having a pitch corresponding to the pitch of theundersides 29 of the sleeve heads 26. Said top surface 35 of thecylindrical valve body 33 is provided with integral circumfer entiallyspaced raised portions or projections 36 having top surfaces disposedparallel to the beveled upper end 35 of the valve.

The pumping unit 10 additionally includes a collar 37 having a flat topsurface 38, corresponding to the top surfaces 28 of the heads, a centralbore 39, of the same diameter as the bores 27, and an outer peripheralportion as of substantially the same width and diameter as theperipheries 30 of the heads. The collar 37 is also provided with adownwardly and inwardly inclined or beveled annular underside 41 whichdiffers from the beveled undersides 29 of the heads in that the beveledportion 41 terminates in outwardly spaced relation to the To assemblethe pump plunger 10, one of the sleeves 24 is slid upwardly on the rod16 so that the flat top surface 28 thereof will abut against theunderside of the collar 18. One of the valve cylinders 33 is thenapplied upwardly on the rod 16 and is positioned around the sleeveportion 25 of the applied sleeve 24 and with the outer ends 32 of theprojections 31 frictionally engaging the bore 45 of said valve cylinder.Said bore 45 and also the outer surface or periphery 46 of each valve 33are ground and otherwise finished so that the periphery 46 will be of auniform diameter for an exact working fit in the pump barrel 11.Likewise, the outer ends 32 of the projections are ground and otherwisefinished to have an exact working fit in the ground bore 45 of the valvecylinder 33. It will also be apparent that the valve cylinder 33 may beapplied to the sleeve 24 and the two parts as thus assembled thenpositioned on the plunger rod 16. The other set of sleeves 24 and valvecylinders 33 are thereafter applied, in either of the aforementionedmanners, beneath the uppermost sleeve and valve cylinder. The collar 37is then applied to the plunger rod 16 beneath the lowermost sleeve andcylinder, as seen in Figure 3, after which the nut 43 is applied to thelower threaded rod end 17 and tightened so that its flat upper surface44 will abut against the flat bottom surface 42 of the collar 37. Thenut 43 is tightened sutficiently so that the top surface 38 of thecollar 37 will abut against the flat lower end of the lowermost sleeveportion 25 and so that the head of said sleeve and the sleeve disposedthereabove will each have its flat top surface 28 abutting against theflat lower end of the sleeve portion 25 disposed immediately thereabove.The upper surface 28 of the uppermost sleeve head 26 will abut againstthe underside of the plunger collar 18.

The valve cylinders 33 are of a length, including their projections 36,less than the spacing between the surfaces 28 and 38 and the undersides29 disposed thereabove. As seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the diameters ofthe heads 26 and collar 37 are less than the diameter of the bore of theworking barrel 11 to provide an annular passage between the wall of theworking barrel 11 and the peripheries 30 of the heads 26 and theperiphery 40 of the collar 37. The wall of each valve cylinder 33 is ofa thickness substantially greater than the spacing between the wall ofthe working barrel 11 and said peripheries 30 and 40, so that when theplunger 15 and sleeves 24 are raised relatively to the valve cylinders33, approximately the inner half of said cylinder bottom surfaces 34will abut flush against the outer portions of the top surfaces 28 and38.

Assuming that the pumping unit is in a lowermost position, asillustrated in Figures 1 to 3, as the plunger is pulled upwardly by thesucker rod 23 the valves 33 will be caused to move upwardly with theplunger by the engagement of their bottom surfaces 34 on the surfaces 28and 38. The contact of the surfaces 34 with the surfaces 28 and 38 willseal off the part of the working barrel 11 disposed above the pumpingunit 10 and the part thereof disposed therebeneath. Thus, as the unit 10moves upwardly a suction will be created therebeneath for unseating thevalve 14 to cause the liquid being pumped to be drawn into the workingbarrel through the valve seat 12 for partially filling the expandingchamber below the unit 10. As the plunger 15 commences its downstrokewith the sucker rod 23 said plunger and the sleeves 24 will initiallymove downwardly relative to the valves 33 due to the greater area offrictional contact had by the valves 33 with the working barrel 11 thanthe frictional contact of the projection ends 32 with the valve bores45, so that during the downstroke of the plunger 15 the valves 33 willhave the upper surfaces of their projections 36 in contact with theundersides 29 of the heads 26, causing the valves 33 to move with theplunger and sleeves when this contact is established. During thedownstroke of the pumping unit 10, the liquid or other medium beingpumped located in the chamber of the working barrel between the pumpingunit It) and the valve seat 12 will be forced upwardly through thepumping unit, due to the fact that the valve 14 will resume a closedposition as soon as upward movement of the pumping unit ceases.Consequently, the pumped medium, during the downstroke of the unit 10,will pass upwardly between the working barrel and collar periphery 40,inwardly between the bottom surface 34 of the lowermost valve 33 and thetop collar surface 38 and thence upwardly between the lowermost sleeveportion 25' and the bore 45 of the lowermost valve. The pumped mediumwill then pass upwardly and outwardly between the projections 36 andbetween the spaced surfaces 35 and 29 of the adjacent sleeves 24 andvalves 33, between the peripheries 30 and the bore wall of the workingbarrel 11 and similarly between the top surfaces 28 and bottom surfaces34 which are disposed thereabove and upwardly between the other valvebores 26 and sleeve portions 25.

Thereafter, on the next upstroke of the sucker rod 23 and plunger 15,said plunger and the sleeves 24 will initially move upwardly relative tothe valves 33 which, in the same manner as previously described, will beretained by frictional engagement with the working barrel 11 againstupward displacement until their bottom surfaces 34 contact the topsurfaces 28 and 38 to form seals for trapping the pumped medium disposedabove the collar surface 28 so that said pumped medium is lifted by thepumping unit during the upstroke thereof and, at the same time, theexpanding chamber immediately beneath the pumping unit 10 is refilled aspreviously described. Additionally, the fluid impinging upon theinclined top surfaces 35 of the valves additionally assists to hold thebottom valve surfaces 34 properly seated on the top surfaces 28 and 38for sealing the pumping unit against downward escape of the pumpedmedium during its upstroke. It will be obvious that the greatestpressure will exist within the upper valve 33 and any of the pumpedmedium which may escape past the bottom surface 34 thereof and thesurface 28 on which it rests, will be trapped by the valves 33 disposedtherebeneath. It will also be apparent that the pumping unit will beself-cleaning in that the pumped medium flowing upwardly therethroughwill flush out any dirt or sediment which might otherwise collecttherein to insure a proper seating engagement between the parts.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a valve unit of extremelysimple construction has been provided utilizing the valves 33 the wallsof which are solid and uninterrupted. It will also be apparent that allparts of the pumping unit may be formed of metal for reducing wear andminimizing the need for replacement of parts. It will also be understoodthat the pumping unit may include any desired number of sleeves 24 andvalves 33.

, Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and mayobviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In combination with a working barrel and a plunger reciprocably disposedtherein; a pumping unit comprising an elongated sleeve mounted on theplunger and having an enlargement at an upper end thereof forming ahead, means securing the sleeve immovably to the plunger including acollar fixed to the plunger and having a flat upper surface abuttingagainst a lower end of the sleeve, an elongated cylinder of rigidunbroken construction loosely disposed around the sleeve between thecollar and head and of a length less than the spacing between the headand collar, said cylinder constituting a valve and having an outerdiameter greater than the outer diameters of the head and collar andsuch as to provide a close fitting sliding engagement of the cylinder inthe working barrel, said cylinder having an inner diameter less than theouter diameters of the head and collar for confining the cylindertherebetween, a lower end of the cylinder seating against the outer partof the upper surface of the collar during upward travel of the cylinderwith the collar and sleeve for sealing off the working barrel above andbeneath the collar, and said sleeve, beneath the head, having outwardlyextending projections, said projections having outer ends frictionallyengaging against the wall of the cylinder for References Cited in thefile of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 339,584 Root Apr. 6, 18861,545,722 Zublin July 14, 1925 2,261,469 Harter Nov. 4, 194l 2,475,705Hunter July 12, 1949

